Crazy Hair Day at School!

So today was crazy hair day at the Y - in the toddler room. We didn't know about it until we got there - mainly because Jack isn't in the toddler room YET. So we have good news on that front. Jack is moving on up - up to toddlers on Monday. Yeah!

Here are some pictures of Jack after Miss Vicki got her hands on his lovely head of hair:






Here is Jack's friend Owen - also accosted by Miss Vicki with some serious amount of product:


After school today, Sarah and Ryan came over for a quick visit - and the boys helped Stephen work on the new cabinets...

Separation Anxiety?

I thought kids were supposed to go through separation anxiety around 14 months? Well Jack is clearly going through it now at 19 months (or a year and a half as Stephen says). If he's not with me or Stephen - it's very likely that Jack could burst into tears. Hopefully this phase will pass quickly. Another phase I hope passes quickly is the one where Jack wakes up at midnight and decides it's time to play. In just the last week, he's done this 3 times. He'll scream and cry until one of us comes to get him and then once we do all he wants to do is play. He wants to grab Phoebe. He wants to jump on our bed or sometimes he wants to go downstairs to watch a show. Enough of this, I need my sleep.
I was in NYC for the day. Got the 6:30am train down and the 4:00pm train back. I'm exhausted. Grammy and Pooh are here visiting - mainly so Stephen and his father could go to Boston College to see St. John's play in a pre-season tournament. Jack can now say: Pooh

If Jack weren't sleeping right now...

I'd take his picture to show you just how horrible his bruised head looks today. It doesn't bother Jack, but it sure bothers me. Next it's going to turn all yellow and nasty... ugh.

Today at school Jack finger painted turkeys and made a little Pilgrim hat. I tried to get him to wear the hat - it's so cute. But Jack doesn't like hats... maybe someday he will let me take his picture in it.

Did I report already that Jack's new fave food is black olives? Freaky...

Stephen is at the football game - no thanks, too cold for me. Yikes, Jets just ran back a kick off for a touchdown. Jack cried when Stephen left to go to the game, he loves his daddy.

Welcome home Daddy!

So Stephen made it home today after a few days on the road. Jack was more than happy to see him. I think he was doing the happy dance when he saw him for the first time. This despite, the honkin' bruise on his forehead - thanks to a head first dive into a chair today at daycare.
They wrestled, they bathed, they watched Jack's Big Music Show - it was a fine reunion for the 2 men in my life!
And a news flash - Jack has a new favorite food - black olives! Go figure?

Check out the blurry picture below - look about an inch above his right eye for the bruise:


Here are the 2 boys on the way up the stairs to get ready for bed...


Like his overalls? They used to be Harper's!

Fight time!



After these pictures were taken... Stephen started feeling really sick. Fever, chills, other "things"... I hope he feels better soon. And I hope Jack doesn't get it... oh boy.

Happy Meal = Happy Dinner

Tonight I felt so tired that I just couldn't fathom cooking dinner for Jack and me after I picked him up from school. So my plan was to take him to Friendly's for a quick dinner - and maybe some ice cream.
When I arrived at the Y to get Jack I found him running around in his "alternate outfit." This alternate outfit is a too short one-piece monkey outfit. Well, that meant I couldn't take him out to dinner so I brainstormed. McDonald's drive thru! Tonight Jack had his first Happy Meal and he seemed to enjoy it.

Trying to walk in Grandma's shoes

Well, actually trying to dance in Grandma's new Reeboks...

Play time

After a good time playing at the playground, it's time for a snack. I brought some juice and little cookies for Jack. He enjoys taking the cookies out of the packet himself. He doesn't like it if you try to hand him one, he has to do it. Very independent.

Here is Jack peeking down to Mom from the top of the swing set/slide combo...

It's a nice day for a ride on the quad...

"Cheese!"
Right now Jack is taking his nap (usually about 3 hours). When he gets up I think we'll drive into Boston to visit Stephen who is working in the city this weekend. Maybe he'll have time to take a break and we can go to the Cheesecake Factory. If not, Jack and I will hit the food court at the Prudential.
Jack has a lot of new words: banana, tractor, birdie, Elmo and tree. He's a genius.

"Ring around the tree"

More fun outside. Can't believe it's in the 50s in November! This morning Jack played "ring around the tree" with his buddy Ryan.
(Jack is in the red LL Bean fleece, Ryan is sporting the blue LL Bean fleece...)


Here's a quick video of the boys running around the tree. Earlier in the day they did it for some time - but of course when there's a camera rolling it's never the same.

Saturday Recap

More swimming today! This time we took Grandma Sheep with us to the Y for lessons. She took a million pictures and videos. Here is one of Jack jumping to me (just look past the kid in front of us). He bobs right back to the surface!

But first... we have to shower. Now that Jack actually likes the shower this is much easier to accomplish.

Then it's time to pay attention to the teacher as she tells us which activity to do next... Jack looks a tad bored.

Oh wait... he is having a good time!


For awhile Jack coveted the lifeguard's Vitamin Water. He even tried flirting with her to get his hands on it...


Here we are playing "tick tock." The point to this game is to get his ears wet so he gets used to it...

I am so proud of Jack!

Jack = Fish

Jack loved his swimming lesson at the Y on Saturday morning. Here he is all decked out in his trunks and sandals before we left the house.


We went to the Y all dressed in our suits so we only had to strip off some clothing in the family locker room before we could go into the pool area. But of course, we had to shower first. Nothing like making yourself all cold before you head into the pool. Whatever, I'm not the Health Department.
There were about 7 parent/kids in our class (the Shrimps) that started right at 8:50 am. For the first few minutes we just swam around with the kids (we were in the family pool section, not the lap part) getting them used to the water. Then we did some songs (Itsy Bitsy Spider, Hokey Pokey) and practiced "blast offs." Blast offs are when you hold onto the side of the pool with your feet up near your hands and push off backwards. Yeah, Jack can do this? Really? No, he couldn't but I could so I did it with Jack in my arms.
Then the instructor had us put the kids up on the side of the pool and hold onto our hands and jump in. A lot of the kids were jumping in... no problem... and going underwater! So I thought, well Jack must be able to do this. He was! He would hold onto my index fingers and jump in - go underwater - and pop right back up - happy as a clam! (You should have seen the boogies!)
We must have done this a dozen times before we moved onto the next activity - blowing bubbles. Jack continued to surprise me and was able to do this - with zero hesitation.
For the last few minutes of the class we just let them do what they want - Jack wanted to play on the stairs - so that's what we did.
I'm looking forward to next week, I really think we're going to get something out of this 7 week class... maybe Dad will be able to come and take some action photos!

DIY: The Kitchen

So... we've begun. We've begun redoing the kitchen. I came home from swimming lessons with Jack on Saturday morning (which was like a 40 minute water aerobics class for me) to find Stephen stripping off our hideous green wallpaper. I mean it's a good thing... but once you start, you can't stop. And we haven't stopped.

So we went from this...


to this... after about 12 hours of using the steamer to strip the paper off!




Whomever put this up did not want this to ever fall down. There was so much paste on the paper and the walls that we had to go get a paste-remover to use on the walls after the paper came down so that when we paint we don't have rough spots.

Halloween Wrap-up

So Halloween is finally over... and I think it was a good one for Baby Man. He really enjoyed wearing his costume (in fact he didn't want to take it off to go to bed), had a good time running around outside and talking to the trick-or-treaters and even scored a new Barney DVD (from Ryan).
We only visited 5 houses for treats... and spent the rest of the evening in the front yard. Stephen and Tom moved our heater from the back deck to the front yard. Then moved the Adirondack chairs out there... and a little table. That's where we handed out the candy from - it was our base of operations.
Here are the pictures...

This is Jack and Ryan pre-trick or treating. I'd say they are a cute pair - nice looking bumble bee skeleton and his friend the cutey pumpkin.

Look Mom - a present! It was a new Barney DVD from Ryan...


Here we are at our neighbor Howie's house... he gives the kids candy...


and the adults got some nips!


Here is our set-up on the lawn...


This is Ryan hanging out in the kids Adirondack chair...


"Crank up the head Dad... it's cold!"



This is Anita and Sarah... keeping warm by the heater.


Great night... next year we're all going to do the same thing... except dress up... and scare all the little kids! Now I'm off to help Stephen remove the wallpaper from the kitchen.